Drive or Fly: Fort Worth, TX to Redwood, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for FTW–AUS. At 221 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

221.9 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 21m

25m in the air

Air Distance

204 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Worth, TX → FTW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Redwood, TX 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Worth, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Redwood, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FTW and AUS. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 20m

5h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

13 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Worth, TX → Fort Worth (FTW) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 340m

Arrival 10m

San Marcos Amtrak (SMC) → Redwood, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From FTW — Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SMC — San Marcos Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 59m	3h 21m	7h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$183	$40
Carbon footprint	90 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

221.9 mi 3h 58m

via I 35, I 35W, I 35; US 290

Alternative (+45 min)

228.7 mi 4h 44m

via I 35, TX 174, TX 317

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fort Worth, TX to Redwood, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.